Princess Elizabeth Trough Research Articles

Age distribution of Antarctic Bottom Water off Cape Darnley, East Antarctica, estimated using chlorofluorocarbon and sulfur hexafluoride

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) were used to investigate the timescale of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) that spreads off Cape Darnley (CD) in East Antarctica. The age of the AABW was estimated based on the observed SF6/CFC-12 ratio while taking into account tracer dilution by Lower Circumpolar Deep Water. Along the western canyons off CD and the ~ 3000 to 3500 m isobaths, the bottom water age was < 5 years, reflecting the spread of newly formed CD Bottom Water. Higher ages of ~ 8 years obtained for areas east of CD and > 20 years in the northwestern offshore region indicate inflows of AABW through the Princess Elizabeth Trough and Weddell Sea Deep Water, respectively. This study determined the age distribution in the region off CD, where three different types of AABW spread.

Otolith chemistry of Electrona antarctica suggests a potential population marker distinguishing the southern Kerguelen Plateau from the eastward‐flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current

AbstractLarge submarine plateaus impede the eastward flow of the deep‐reaching Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), and at the southern Kerguelen Plateau (SKP), the ACC flow is steered north through the Fawn Trough and south through the Princess Elizabeth Trough. During the Kerguelen Axis study, a regional‐scale ecosystem survey, oceanographic sampling showed the ACC water properties west of the SKP to be distinct from those over the SKP. Electrona antarctica, a dominant mesopelagic fish species, is associated with Circumpolar Deep Water transported by the ACC, and modified versions that occur over and downstream from the SKP including along the Antarctic continental slope. Here, otolith chemistry from samples of E. antarctica collected during the survey were used to test a biophysical hypothesis predicting structuring and movement between populations along zonal flow in the ACC. In chemistry deposited during early life in the otolith nuclei, the relationship between MgCa−1 and SrCa−1 showed complete separation between fish collected over the SKP and within the ACC proper, indicating population differentiation. Chemistry from the otolith edges, deposited during the period leading up to capture, showed significantly higher concentrations of MgCa−1 over the SKP, likely related to differences in feeding and reproduction. Fish with nucleus chemistry characteristic of the SKP were also found in samples caught further east, suggesting they were transported along the ACC downstream, and southward toward the Antarctic continent within the Australian–Antarctic Gyre.

Thysanoessa macrura in the southern Kerguelen region: Population dynamics and biomass

Thysanoessa macrura is well adapted to the strong seasonality of the Southern Ocean. A flexible diet, large lipid reserves and a winter reproductive period provide T. macrura with the ability to capitalise on the pulses of primary and secondary reproduction in spring and summer. The population dynamics of T. macrura were examined over the southern Kerguelen Plateau region as part of a large-scale ecosystem assessment. Larval stages were present in high abundances, exceeding 4000 Ind. 1000 m−3, with a peak in early furcilia (FI − FIV) and lower abundances of calyptopis stages (CI − CIII) indicating the end of a prolonged spawning period. High abundances of T. macrura were recorded throughout the entire study region, although they tended to be highest over the southern extent of the Banzare Bank and Princess Elizabeth Trough. This maximum appeared to be driven by the presence of the copepod Calanoides acutus, a dominant prey source. The first biomass estimates of T. macrura were determined for the region using length-frequency and abundance distributions. A mean biomass of 1.66 mg m−3 (wet weight) was calculated for the region, however localised biomass over the southern tip of the Banzare Bank exceeded 9 mg m−3 in the upper 200 m of the water column. The high biomass of T. macrura highlights their significance as an energy-rich resource for larger predators, inferring they play a currently underappreciated role in pelagic food-webs of the Southern Ocean.

Crustal structure, tectonic subsidence and lithospheric stretching of the princess Elizabeth trough basin, East Antarctica

Abstract This paper considers crustal structure, seismic stratigraphy, thermal evolution and lithospheric stretching of the deep-water basin located on the East Antarctic passive margin in the Princess Elizabeth Trough. Seven of the Middle Jurassic to Quaternary seismic sequences was identified based on interpretation of multichannel seismic data. The information about seismic stratigraphy and crustal thickness (calculated from gravity data) along the section crossing the Princess Elizabeth Trough was used for numerical modeling of the thermal regime of the lithosphere, tectonic subsidence of the crystalline basement and lithospheric stretching. Modeling shows that calculated tectonic subsidence is possible only under the assumption of crustal extension before the deposition (during the crustal doming at the early rift phase). Maximum stretching factor in the basin ranges from 1.1 to 2.0 for the period which preceded the deposition and 2.8 for the period of the rift-related deposition.

Crustal Structure, Tectonic Subsidence, and Lithospheric Stretching of the Princess Elizabeth Trough Basin, East Antarctica

This paper considers crustal structure, seismic stratigraphy, thermal evolution and lithospheric stretching of the deep-water basin located on the East Antarctic passive margin in the Princess Elizabeth Trough. Seven of the Middle Jurassic to Quaternary seismic sequences was identified based on interpretation of multichannel seismic data. The information about seismic stratigraphy and crustal thickness (calculated from gravity data) along the section crossing the Princess Elizabeth Trough was used for numerical modeling of the thermal regime of the lithosphere, tectonic subsidence of the crystalline basement and lithospheric stretching. Modeling shows that calculated tectonic subsidence is possible only under the assumption of crustal extension before the deposition (during the crustal doming at the early rift phase). Maximum stretching factor in the basin ranges from 1.1 to 2.0 for the period which preceded the deposition and 2.8 for the period of the rift-related deposition.

Alternative energy pathways in Southern Ocean food webs: Insights from a balanced model of Prydz Bay, Antarctica

In recent years, there has been a shift away from the long-standing paradigm in which a short, krill-dominated food chain was considered to be the central element in Southern Ocean food webs. Instead, there is now increasing recognition that alternative energy pathways through mid-trophic level groups (mesopelagic fish and squid) may be equally (if not more) important than the krill pathway in many regions. Ecosystem models are a valuable tool to synthesise existing data on the structure of marine food webs and to visualise and quantify alternative energy pathways. In this study we develop a static mass balance food web model for the southern Kerguelen Axis region (Prydz Bay and Princess Elizabeth Trough) to evaluate the importance of alternative energy pathways through mid-trophic level groups, including fish, squid and krill, in maintaining energy flow to top predators within East Antarctica. Our model reveals several major trophic pathways distinct from, and equally important to the Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) pathway. Using simple scenarios of reductions in krill biomass, we investigate how the system might switch to a state dominated by fish and squid pathways with the response of krill-reliant predators strongly dependent on their ability to switch to other prey sources. We conclude by discussing what these findings might suggest for the future vulnerability of East Antarctic food webs and the implications for future modelling work in the region.

Otolith nucleus chemistry distinguishes Electrona antarctica in the westward-flowing Antarctic Slope Current and eastward-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current off East Antarctica

Eastward transport in the Southern Ocean is concentrated in jets associated with fronts in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), whereas flow along the Antarctic continental slope is strongly westward in the Antarctic Slope Current (ASC). The dominant mesopelagic fish endemic to the Southern Ocean, Electrona antarctica (Günther, 1878), has been linked to Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) transported by the ACC, and a modified version of CDW associated with the ASC. In conjunction with a regional-scale hydrographic survey south of the Kerguelen Plateau, we sampled fish from the ACC and ASC across Princess Elizabeth Trough off East Antarctica, and examined their otolith chemistry. Material laid down in the nucleus during early life showed heterogeneity, arguing against a single homogeneous population. Instead, it suggested exposure to different environments after hatching, consistent with separate transport pathways along the ACC and ASC. Despite clear differences between stations documented in the survey, material laid down along the edge did not show heterogeneity, suggesting instead exposure to similar environments. Seasonal movement northward by ASC fish into the ACC may explain both these results, and potential physical mechanisms include circulation in the Australian-Antarctic Gyre; northward movement of slope waters along the eastern margin of Princess Elizabeth Trough; and seasonal extension of sea-ice into the ACC. Such meridional movement would expose fish to zonal flow, eastward in the ACC during winter and westward in the ASC during summer, promoting regional retention as well as creating opportunities for mixing with fish transported along the ACC.

Formation and Evolution of Microcontinents of the Kerguelen Plateau, Southern Indian Ocean

The paper considers geological and geophysical data on the crustal structure of the volcanic Kerguelen Plateau and nearby Indian Ocean, as well as evolution of the Kerguelen Plateau during the Gondwana breakup. It is assumed that three isolated continental blocks (microcontinents) evolved within the Kerguelen Plateau. In order to provide insight into the mechanisms for the microcontinent formation, physical modeling under three different conditions has been carried out. The first experiment simulates a homogeneous lithosphere with two rift fractures propagating toward each one other; in the second experiment, the propagating rift fractures collide with a structural “barrier” having a stronger lithosphere; the third experiment simulated the effect of a local heat source (a hot spot). Based on these experiments and taking into account the available structural and geophysical data, it is suggested that isolation of continental block in the southern Kerguelen Plateau could have begun due to counterpropagation of rifting branches: oceanic from east to west and continental from west to east. The isolation of the southern block with attachment to the Antarctic Plate took place 120 Ma ago after extinction of the spreading ridge in the Princess Elizabeth Trough. Because of the structural inhomogeneity in the prebreakup lithosphere, which is represented by a zone of intracontinental Lambert–Mahanadi rifts, opening of the ocean could have developed in a more complex regime. Under the effect of a hot spot, a jump of the spreading axis occurred at the moment of its emplacement into the lithosphere.

Ocean circulation and frontal structure near the southern Kerguelen Plateau: The physical context for the Kerguelen Axis ecosystem study

Oceanographic observations from ships, floats and remote sensing are used to describe the ocean circulation and frontal structure from the southern Kerguelen Plateau to the Antarctic margin. The flow of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) is largely zonal upstream of the Kerguelen Plateau. The southern branch of the Polar Front and the northern branch of the southern ACC front (SACCF) are deflected to the north by the topography and cross the plateau through the Fawn Trough. The southern branch of the SACCF and the southern boundary of the ACC pass to the south of Banzare Bank, through the Princess Elizabeth Trough. These fronts turn sharply to the north on the eastern flank of the plateau, then retroflect to the south before continuing eastward. Satellite altimetry and float trajectories suggest the ACC regime to the east of the plateau is eddy-rich and characterised by extensive meandering of the ACC fronts, in contrast to the low eddy energy and zonal flow observed west of the plateau. The Antarctic Slope Current flows west along the upper continental slope, with hydrographic data indicating some of the flow turns offshore and feeds the Southern Boundary flow in the Western Boundary Current. Flow over the plateau itself is relatively quiescent and floats in this region have a long residence time (> 1 year). The regional circulation is closely associated with the distribution of biological productivity in surface waters, as revealed in satellite measurements of ocean colour, including high productivity in subpolar waters, along the eastern edge of the plateau and over the Antarctic continental shelf, moderate productivity over the plateau, and low productivity in ACC waters in the Fawn Trough and north of the SACCF.

Naturaliste Plateau: constraints on the timing and evolution of the Kerguelen Large Igneous Province and its role in Gondwana breakup

ABSTRACTVolcanism associated with the Kerguelen Large Igneous Province is found scattered in southwestern Australia (the ca 136 to ca 130 Ma Bunbury Basalts, and ca 124 Ma Wallaby Plateau), India (ca 118 Ma Rajmahal Traps and Cona Basalts), and Tibet (the ca 132 Ma Comei Basalts), but apart from the ∼70 000 km2 Wallaby Plateau, these examples are spatially and volumetrically minor. Here, we report dredge, geochronological and geochemical results from the ∼90 000 km2 Naturaliste Plateau, located ∼170 to ∼500 km southwest of Australia. Dredged lavas and intrusive rocks range from mafic to felsic compositions, and prior geophysical analyses indicate these units comprise much of the plateau substrate. 40Ar/39Ar plagioclase ages from mafic units and U–Pb zircon ages from silicic rocks indicate magmatic emplacement from 130.6 ± 1.2 to 129.4 ± 1.3 Ma for mafic rocks and 131.8 ± 3.9 to 128.2 ± 2.3 Ma for silicic rocks (2σ). These Cretaceous Naturaliste magmas incorporated a significant component of continental crust, with relatively high 87Sr/86Sr (up to 0.78), high 207Pb/204 Pb ratios (15.5–15.6), low 143Nd/144Nd (0.511–0.512) and primitive-mantle normalised Th/Nb of 11.3 and La/Nb of 3.97. These geochemical results are consistent with the plateau being underlain by continental basement, as indicated by prior interpretations of seismic and gravity data, corroborated by dredging of Mesoproterozoic granites and gneisses on the southern plateau flank. The Cretaceous Naturaliste Plateau igneous rocks have signatures indicative of extraction from a depleted mantle, with trace-element and isotopic values that overlap with Kerguelen Plateau lavas reflect crustal contamination. Our chemical and geochronological results therefore show the Naturaliste Plateau contains evidence of an extensive igneous event representing some of the earliest voluminous Kerguelen hotspot magmas. Prior work reports that contemporaneous correlative volcanic sequences underlie the nearby Mentelle Basin, and the Enderby Basin and Princess Elizabeth Trough in the Antarctic. When combined, the igneous rocks in the Naturaliste, Mentelle, Wallaby, Enderby, Princess Elizabeth, Bunbury and Comei-Cona areas form a 136–124 Ma Large Igneous Province covering >244 000 km2.

The cyclonic circulation in the Australian–Antarctic basin simulated by an eddy-resolving general circulation model

Flow structure in the Australian–Antarctic basin is investigated using an eddy-resolving general ocean circulation model and validated with iceberg and middepth float trajectories. A cyclonic circulation system between the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and Antarctic Slope Current consists of a large-scale gyre in the west (80–110° E) and a series of eddies in the east (120–150° E). The western gyre has an annual mean westward transport of 22 Sv in the southern limb. Extending west through the Princess Elizabeth Trough, 5 Sv of the gyre recirculates off Prydz Bay and joins the western boundary current off the Kerguelen Plateau. Iceberg trajectories from QuickScat and ERS-1/2 support this recirculation and the overall structure of the Antarctic Slope Current against isobath in the model. Argo float trajectories also reveal a consistent structure of the deep westward slope current. This study indicates the presence of a large cyclonic circulation in this basin, which is comparable to the Weddell and Ross gyres.

Direct observations of the ACC transport across the Kerguelen Plateau

Major pathways and transport of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) crossing the Kerguelen Plateau were directly observed during the 2009 Track cruise. The net eastward transport to the south of the Heard/McDonald Islands is estimated as 56 Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1), 43 Sv of which is tightly channelled into the Fawn Trough that appears as a predominant cross‐plateau gateway of circumpolar flow associated with the Southern ACC Front (SACCF). There are also two secondary passages, with one (6 Sv) being attached to the nearshore slope just south of the Heard/McDonald Islands and the other (7 Sv) passing through the northern Princess Elizabeth Trough. With an additional 2 Sv inferred just south of the Kerguelen Islands, the transport across the entire plateau amounts to 58 Sv, accounting for ∼40% of the total ACC transport transiting through the region, 147–152 Sv, quantities consistent with other independent estimates in the Indian sector of the Southern Ocean.

Warming and Freshening in the Abyssal Southeastern Indian Ocean*

Abstract Warming and freshening of abyssal waters in the eastern Indian Ocean between 1994/95 and 2007 are quantified using data from two closely sampled high-quality occupations of a hydrographic section extending from Antarctica northward to the equator. These changes are limited to abyssal waters in the Princess Elizabeth Trough and the Australian–Antarctic Basin, with little abyssal change evident north of the Southeast Indian Ridge. As in previous studies, significant cooling and freshening is observed in the bottom potential temperature–salinity relations in these two southern basins. In addition, analysis on pressure surfaces shows abyssal warming of about 0.05°C and freshening of about 0.01 Practical Salinity Scale 1978 (PSS-78) in the Princess Elizabeth Trough, and warming of 0.1°C with freshening of about 0.005 in the abyssal Australian–Antarctic Basin. These 12-yr differences are statistically significant from zero at 95% confidence intervals over the bottom few to several hundred decibars of the water column in both deep basins. Both warming and freshening reduce the density of seawater, contributing to the vertical expansion of the water column. The changes below 3000 dbar in these basins suggest local contributions approaching 1 and 4 cm of sea level rise, respectively. Transient tracer data from the 2007 occupation qualitatively suggest that the abyssal waters in the two southern basins exhibiting changes have significant components that have been exposed to the ocean surface within the last few decades, whereas north of the Southeast Indian Ridge, where changes are not found, the component of abyssal waters that have undergone such ventilation is much reduced.

Breakup and early seafloor spreading between India and Antarctica

SUMMARY We present a tectonic interpretation of the breakup and early seafloor spreading between India and Antarctica based on improved coverage of potential field and seismic data off the east Antarctic margin between the Gunnerus Ridge and the Bruce Rise. We have identified a series of ENE trending Mesozoic magnetic anomalies from chron M9o (∼130.2 Ma) to M2o (∼124.1 Ma) in the Enderby Basin, and M9o to M4o (∼126.7 Ma) in the Princess Elizabeth Trough and Davis Sea Basin, indicating that India–Antarctica and India–Australia breakups were roughly contemporaneous. We present evidence for an abandoned spreading centre south of the Elan Bank microcontinent; the estimated timing of its extinction corresponds to the early surface expression of the Kerguelen Plume at the Southern Kerguelen Plateau around 120 Ma. We observe an increase in spreading rate from west to east, between chron M9 and M4 (38–54 mm yr–1), along the Antarctic margin and suggest the tectono-magmatic segmentation of oceanic crust has been influenced by inherited crustal structure, the kinematics of Gondwanaland breakup and the proximity to the Kerguelen hotspot. A high-amplitude, E–W oriented magnetic lineation named the Mac Robertson Coast Anomaly (MCA), coinciding with a landwards step-down in basement observed in seismic reflection data, is tentatively interpreted as the boundary between continental/transitional zone and oceanic crust. The exposure of lower crustal rocks along the coast suggests that this margin formed in a metamorphic core complex extension mode with a high strength ratio between upper and lower crust, which typically occurs above anomalously hot mantle. Together with the existence of the MCA zone this observation suggests that a mantle temperature anomaly predated the early surface outpouring/steady state magmatic production of the Kerguelen LIP. An alternative model suggests that the northward ridge jump was limited to the Elan Bank region, whereas seafloor spreading continued in the West Enderby Basin and its Sri Lankan conjugate margin. In this case, the MCA magnetic anomaly could be interpreted as the southern arm of a ridge propagator that stopped around 120 Ma.

Controls on the carbon isotopic composition of southern ocean phytoplankton

Carbon isotopic compositions of suspended organic matter and biomarker compounds were determined for 59 samples filtered from Southern Ocean surface waters in January 1994 along two north‐south transects (WOCE SR3 from Tasmania to Antarctica, and across the Princess Elizabeth Trough (PET) east of Prydz Bay, Antarctica). Along the SR3 line, bulk organic matter show generally decreasing 13C contents southward, which are well correlated with increasing dissolved molecular carbon dioxide concentrations, CO2(aq). This relationship does not hold along the PET transect. Using concentrations and isotopic compositions of molecular compounds, we evaluate the relative roles of several factors affecting the δ13C of Southern Ocean suspended particulate organic matter. Along the WOCE SR3 transect, the concentration of CO2(aq) plays an important role. It is well described by a supply versus demand model for the extent of cellular CO2 utilization and its associated linear dependence of isotopic fractionation (EP) on the reciprocal of CO2(aq). An equally important factor appears to be changes in algal assemblages along the SR3 transect, with their contribution to isotopic fractionation also well described by the supply and demand model, when formulated to include the cell surface/volume control of supply. Changes in microalgal growth rates appear to have a minor effect on EP. Along the PET transect, algal assemblage changes and possibly changes in microalgal growth rates appear to strongly affect the carbon isotopic variations of suspended organic matter. These results can be used to improve the formulation of modern carbon cycle models that include phytoplankton carbon isotopic fractionation.

Frontal structure and Antarctic Bottom Water flow through the Princess Elizabeth Trough, Antarctica

Hydrographic, current meter and ADCP data collected during two recent cruises in the South Indian Ocean ( RRS Discovery cruise 200 in February 1993 and RRS Discovery cruise 207 in February 1994) are used to investigate the current structure within the Princess Elizabeth Trough (PET), near the Antarctic continent at 85°E, 63–66°S. This gap in topography between the Kerguelen Plateau and the Antarctic continent, with sill depth 3750 m, provides a route for the exchange of Antarctic Bottom Water between the Australian–Antarctic Basin and the Weddell–Enderby Basin. Shears derived from ADCP and hydrographic data are used to deduce the barotropic component of the velocity field, and thus the volume transports of the water masses. Both the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current Front (SACCF) and the Southern Boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (SB) pass through the northern PET (latitudes 63 to 64.5°S) associated with eastward transports. These are deep-reaching fronts with associated bottom velocities of several cm s -1. Antarctic Bottom water (AABW) from the Weddell–Enderby Basin is transported eastwards in the jets associated with these fronts. The transport of water with potential temperatures less than 0°C is 3 (±1) Sv. The SB is shown to meander in the PET, caused by the cyclonic gyre immediately west of the PET in Prydz Bay. The AABW therefore also meanders before continuing eastwards. In the southern PET (latitudes 64.5 to 66°S) a bottom intensified flow of AABW is observed flowing west. This AABW has most likely formed not far from the PET, along the Antarctic continental shelf and slope to the east. Current meters show that speeds in this flow have an annual scalar mean of 10 cm s -1. The transport of water with potential temperatures less than 0°C is 20 (±3) Sv. The southern PET features westward flow throughout the water column, since the shallower depths are dominated by the flow associated with the Antarctic Slope Front. Including the westward flow of bottom water, the total westward transport of the whole water column in the southern PET is 45 (±6) Sv.

Formation and circulation of the water masses between the southern Indian Ocean and Antarctica: Results from δ&lt;SUP&gt;18&lt;/SUP&gt;O

We present measurements of the stable isotopes of oxygen ( 18 O and 16 O) from seawater samples collected during the Antarctic Deep Outflow Experiment (ADOX) cruises in the Southern Ocean and southern Indian Ocean, February to March, 1993 and 1994. The data are used in conjunction with hydrographic data to infer characteristics of the formation and circulation of water masses found in the region. The waters on the continental shelf of Antarctica (adjacent to the Princess Elizabeth Trough; PET) are isotopically the lightest found due to the injection of about 1% of glacial meltwater, and are probably advected to the region from farther east by the current associated with the Antarctic Slope Front. They appear to be locally disassociated from the Antarctic Surface Water and Winter Water (WW) farther north in the PET. The WW of the Enderby Basin is isotopically lighter than the PET WW and also fresher, indicating the presence of an additional component of glacial meltwater or high-latitude precipitation. North of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the surface δ 18 O values correlate strongly with salinity, but extrapolate to an apparent freshwater endmember which is isotopically too light to be reasonable; advection and mixing of the water masses dominate over the local water balance at this location. The Subantarctic Mode Water of the southern Indian Ocean lies on the line of the surface waters in salinity-δ 18 O space due to its local formation by deep convection. The Antarctic Intermediate Water also lies on this line, but it is known that the major sources for this water mass are outside the region. Consequently this observation does not necessarily imply formation by local deep convection. The δ 18 O measurements have shown that the major sources for PET Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) lie outside the Weddell and Ross seas. Based on the potential temperature-salinity of the PET AABW we further deduce that the PET itself is not the formation location of a significant amount of AABW. Its major component is advected to the region from the Australian-Antarctic Basin farther east.

Sources and transport of the Deep Western Boundary Current East of the Kerguelen Plateau

East of the Kerguelen Plateau, a deep western boundary current in the Australian‐Antarctic Basin brings cold dense waters north from the margins of Antarctica. Geostrophic velocities referenced to acoustic Doppler current profiler data, both shipboard and lowered, suggest the flow is unidirectional throughout the water column with estimated northwestward transport below potential temperature 1°C of 28 ± 7 × 106 m³s−1 and 49 ± 9 × 106 m³s−1 respectively. Hydrographie and acoustic Doppler current profiler data show that the deep boundary current is supplied by northward flow emerging from the confluence of westward flow along the Antarctic continental slope and eastward flow of Weddell Basin waters through the Princess Elizabeth Trough to the south of the Kerguelen Plateau.

Cetacean distributions and oceanographic features near the Kerguelen Plateau

Cetacean surveys were conducted in the austral summer during World Ocean Circulation Experiment hydrolegs I8S and I9S in the southeastern Indian Ocean. The highest density of cetaceans occurred along the southern flank of the Kerguelen Plateau and northern edge of the Princess Elizabeth Trough, where the distribution of whales coincides with the mean positions of the Southern Front of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and southern water mass boundary (Southern Boundary) of the ACC. The topographic steerage of these features of the ACC around the southern edge of the Kerguelen Plateau brings shoaled, nutrient‐rich Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW) to higher latitude than in adjacent basins. The higher concentrations of cetaceans near the Kerguelen Plateau suggests that whales benefit from a cascade of trophic dynamics associated with the poleward extent of UCDW, the marginal ice edge zone, and the proximity of several oceanographic features: the high latitude penetration and close alignment of the Southern Front and Southern Boundary of the ACC; the unique poleward extent of the Southern Boundary as it is topographically steered around the plateau; the entrainment of macronutrients into the surface mixed layer near the Southern Boundary; isopycnal shoaling in cyclonic eddies; the presence of complex bathymetry; and the advection of a tongue of ice northward along the eastern side of the plateau. The association between these concurrent oceanographic features and whales suggests that the southeastern edge of the Kerguelen Plateau is a predictably productive foraging location for cetaceans and their prey.

Current structure of the south Indian Ocean

Using recently published atlas data [Olbers et al., 1992] and the Fine Resolution Antarctic Model (FRAM) [Webb et al., 1991], an investigation has been conducted into the structure of the frontal jets centered around the region of the islands of Crozet (46°27′S, 52°0′E) and Kerguelen (48°15′S, 69°10′E) in the south Indian Ocean. Geostrophic current velocities and transports were calculated from the temperature and salinity fields available from the atlas and compared with results from FRAM and previous studies. We have identified the Agulhas Return Front (ARF) and the Subtropical Front (STF), as well as the following fronts of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC): the Subantarctic Front (SAF), the Polar Front (PF), and the Southern ACC Front (SACCF), from temperature and salinity characteristics and from geostrophic currents. This analysis of model and atlas data indicates that the jets associated with the ARF, STF, and SAF are topographically steered into a unique frontal system north of the islands, having some of the largest temperature and salinity gradients anywhere in the world ocean. The frontal jet associated with the ARF is detectable up to 75°E and has associated with it several northward branching jets. The PF bifurcates in the region of the Ob'Lena (Conrad) seamount; subsurface and surface expressions are identified, separated by as much as 8° of latitude immediately west of the Kerguelen Plateau. The surface expression, carrying the bulk of the transport (∼65 Sv), is steered through the col in the Kerguelen Plateau at 56°S, 6° south of the latitude normally associated with the PF at this meridian. On crossing the plateau it rejoins the subsurface expression. In the south, passing eastward along the margin of the Antarctic continent and through the Princess Elizabeth Trough, a frontal jet is identified transporting up to 35 Sv, believed to be the SACCF [Orsi et al., 1995], placing the southern extent of the ACC in the region at 67°S.